Genesis Blu is here to spread the word of rap activism — and fight against gentrification.

In a recent interview with NPR over the weekend, Bluming Season rapper Genesis Blu spoke at-length about her upbringing, her education background and how she came to be a “raptivist.” During the interview, she broke down how love for Houston diversity while also calling to the notion the looming threat of outsiders moving in and kicking out established tenants.

“The diversity is beautiful. But yes, I don’t want my people left behind,” Blu told NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro. “So, what’s happening here right now is gentrification, in the worst way. They are pushing these people out. And there’s not many other options [of places] to go, because we don’t have a great public transportation system, in case you haven’t noticed.”

The Northside born rapper continued, “It’s upsetting a lot of us who have been in this community and are working in this community. And so even though I’m very happy about the diversity, what it also is doing is allowing people to come in with a bunch of money, throw money at some things, tear some things down, buy it out — and then leave the people who have been here stranded.”

On her 2017 debut, Genesis Blu spent Bluming Season speaking on rap platitudes and uplift for everyone. “When it’s all said and done, I’m just black on black on black,” she rapped on “Have It All.” A child of the Northside and more, she spoke to why her grandmother was her main influence growing up.

“I would have to go to my grandmother’s house after school if my mother couldn’t be home from work. And that was interesting because I was bullied — a lot,” Blu says. “Because I’m too proper for the black kids and I’m not white enough for the white children, so I’m in a very awkward place. But my grandmother was also an activist. She was very influential in the war on drugs here in Houston. So as a little kid … she would have me marching with her. So I get that from her.”

About The Author

Brandon Caldwell is the founder & editor-in-chief of Day & A Dream. His work has appeared in VIBE, UPROXX, Complex, EBONY, the Village Voice, the Houston Press, Houston Style Magazine, DJBooth, The Sports Fans Journal, and more. Follow him on Twitter: @_brandoc